goota buy a computer for liveaboard

[agstreet]

nevinsdb once bubbled...
we are going to do a live abaod to socorro islands and we need to purchase a computer..I am electronically retarded and would appreciate sugestions for a very basic but informative computer to purchase. i have never understood most of the ones that i have used on rental equip. i am reluctant to give up my depth gauge but i think most of them mount in that spot correct??

"but i think most of them mount in that spot correct"

Dunno. What is "that" spot.

If you're referring to your wrist, then absolutely. Everything fits there. If you're referring to a specific spot on a specific console, then maybe. Many consoles use kinda, sorta standardized sized holes, but there are a lot of exceptions. Dive shops are great places to help you find computers that fit into consoles.

Computers give you three primary pieces of information - depth, time and decompression status. You already understand depth and time and intuitively you probably already understand deco status. It's simply how long you can stay down before you incur a decompression obligation (not getting into realities that all dives are actually deco dives). All computers show this in a few different ways, but all give you a "no deco time." This is simply how long you can stay at your present depth without incuring a deco obligation. Keep this number above zero. If you go deeper, this number gets smaller. If you go shallower, this number gets larger. If you stay at a constant depth, this number gets smaller, and it get smaller at a faster rate the deeper you are.

One of the problems with rental computers is that they rarely come with instruction manuals, and when they do, people rarely read them. It's hard enough to get people to read manuals for computers they spend a few hundred dollars for, let alone ones they rent for the weekend for $20. Read the manual. Twice. Start off diving with the computer, just remembering to keep the no-deco time above zero, then after a couple of dives, go back and re-read the part about how to use the computer to calculate a decompression stop if you accidently overstay your no-deco time (at which point you'll start to understand the inherent weakness in using computers to plan decompression dives). Once you get really comfortable with your particular computer, you'll find that all of them work pretty much the same, and you'll be able to rent one or try a new one without going through quite as steep a learning curve. But for the first time, take the time to really read the manual and learn the computer.

Alan

 

[Knavey]

A computer on a live-aboard is a MUST if you are trying to maximize your min-in-the-water/$$ ratio. I just got off a liveaboard where the average dive was about 80 feet with some to 130 ft on the wall dives. Not having a computer would have severely hampered our bottom time.

The live aboard we were on would rent you one, as well as teach you how to use it. If you don't want to invest in one just yet, go that route and feel safe about using it because they will ensure that you do know the basics.

 

[CD_in_Chitown]

agstreet once bubbled...


If you stay at a constant depth, this number gets smaller, and it get smaller at a faster rate the deeper you are.

Are you implying that pressure reduces the length of minutes? There are less minutes available deeper but don't they all contain 60 seconds regardless of depth?

 

[rollins]

cd_in_SeaTac once bubbled...


Are you implying that pressure reduces the length of minutes? There are less minutes available deeper but don't they all contain 60 seconds regardless of depth?

Each minute still contains 60 seconds at depth, but the individual seconds are themselves shortened (due to the pressure of course) so that the overall minute is shorter. :wacko:

 

[Zagnut]

Genesis ReACT is a great little computer. It's laid out nicely and is very intuitive (user friendly)... the displays are easy to read and understand..especially the the nitrogen loadind bar. The manual is easy to read and understand..good for non techie types. The technical writers of this manual did a great job. You can switch it over for nitrox diving, too. Personally, I like the console model. I wear a dive watch on my wrist and besides, most wrist computers are bulky and are like strapping a hockey puck to your wrist. The console is small and compact... one of the smallest ones out there. Clip it and it stays out of the way and you have all your info in the same place. It's also pretty inexpensive as far as computers go. Leisure pro has 'em pretty cheap.

As far as the "blind faith" comments from the others go... what better way to figure out computers than to get one. Study the manual really well and do some supplemental reading on just how your computer comes up with the answers it does. Go over your dive tables and become familiar with them so if your computer, for some reason goes out or starts giving you bogus info, you'll be able to know that it's bogus info. I wouldn't run right out and let it coax you into 130' water but you won't automatically DIE if you buy a computer without knowing every last little thing about it.

I bought my computer without a whole lot of knowledge about how to operate it and I had only 6 dives under my weightbelt and I lived to tell about it!

Although, I did do a good bit of reading about my particular brand of computer, what other divers who had used it thought about it, and just computers in general and how their calculations work. I recommend you do the same. It will help you to understand what your computer is telling you and it will help you to buy a computer that you won't end up hating.

My dive watch has a bottom timer bezel, a max depth guage and dive tables printed on the wrist band so if my computer goes out on me during a dive I can continue the dive (provided I'm still within my tables). It compliments my computer rather nicely.

 

[mleong]

Mares M1

 

[budgy]

As a single cylinder sport diver I don't normally incur a deco penalty on a single dive. Some divers doing multiple dives within the limits calculated by their computers end up getting bent. Regarding air integrated on one occasion I was unable to determine the contents of a buddy diver, so if your divng with strangers they may have a problem knowing your cylinder contents. I guess I'm a bit retro though I have tried computors and Buhlmann tables I prefer the simplicity of naval tables, I dive within no stop limits and put in conservative safety stops and use a dive timer.

 

[cornfed]

budgy once bubbled...
As a single cylinder sport diver I don't normally incur a deco penalty on a single dive. Some divers doing multiple dives within the limits calculated by their computers end up getting bent. Regarding air integrated on one occasion I was unable to determine the contents of a buddy diver, so if your divng with strangers they may have a problem knowing your cylinder contents. I guess I'm a bit retro though I have tried computors and Buhlmann tables I prefer the simplicity of naval tables, I dive within no stop limits and put in conservative safety stops and use a dive timer.

Some divers doing multiple dives within the limits of their tables end up getting bent.

 

[Lead_carrier]

cornfed once bubbled...


Given what you just said, are you sure you want to put blind faith in a small electronic device?

Cornfed

Doesn't sound like you care much for computers.

Some divers doing multiple dives within the limits of their tables end up getting bent.

Don't think you trust tables too much either? Tell us Cornfed, what do you dive with? It might give us some insight on the correct way to go.

 

[cornfed]

Lead_carrier once bubbled...

Doesn't sound like you care much for computers.

That doesn't sound like what I said at all. nevinsdb said he is "electronically retarded" and has had trouble understooding the different computers he rented. Given his self evaluation I suggested he might not want a computer.

Don't think you trust tables too much either?

Well, you think wrong. budgy said that people can get bent even if they stay within the limits of their computer. I said you can also get bent staying this in the limits of your tables. I stated a fact and didn't make any qualitative statements.

Tell us Cornfed, what do you dive with? It might give us some insight on the correct way to go.

Tell you what Lead_carrier, take some time to digest this post and if you're still interested I'll tell you what I use. I don't have much faith in your reading comprehension right now so I'm not sure what good it would do.

Cornfed